Personal Transformation

Ecological Mindfulness for a Better World

Mindfulness is the energy of being aware and awake to the present moment. It is the continuous act of touching life deeply in every moment of daily life. To be mindful is to be truly alive, present, and at one with those around you and with what you are doing. Through prayer, reflection, and meditation we see reality clearly, understand the root causes and conditions of individual, societal, and planetary suffering, and know what actions to take. Importantly, mindfulness of the inner and outer realm helps us to be peace as we work for peace.

Imagine a circle drawn within a larger circle. The larger circle is Mindfulness Practice; the inner circle is Right Action. All Right Action is fully contained within the universe of mindfulness practice. When we apply the image to our relationship with the planet, the inner circle is Right Ecological Action and is if fully contained within (and an expression of) Ecological Mindfulness Practice.

This page in under construction. Soon, it will offer instruction on how to practice Ecological Mindfulness–the elements of meditation (practice), time in nature (observation), science (study), insight (wisdom), and skillful means (action).

Ethical Action: the Five Mindfulness Trainings

Mindful advocacy draws strength and resilience from ethics–the moral compass guiding actions worthy of our highest aspiration. IN my experience, applying ethics consistently grows increasing inconvenient as conflicts escalate. It can be tempting to think a noble end justifies harsh means. But ethics are not sentimental niceties; they are like steel beams fortifying a healthy advocacy framework, helping establish boundaries that can save us from hurting ourselves and others. Five Mindfulness Trainings of Thich Nhat Hanh are a simple, practical, ethical code for daily living in the 21st century. Studied and applied, they have power to heal and transform not only our individual and family life, but society and the planetary situation. I meditate upon these trainings monthly as guiding means shaping my actions.